'Maybe he pointed guns...': Tejashwi Yadav on PM Modi's 'language' over his 'katta' remarks

RJD Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav (Image: PTI)

As the elections to the 243 seats of Bihar Assembly near, the campaign has intensified with Mahagathbandhan's Chief Ministerial face and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJ) leader Tejashwi Yadav hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his 'language'.

Yadav said that he never heard any PM speak like this.

Modi had on Sunday claimed that the Congress had been unwilling to accept Yadav as the INDIA bloc's chief ministerial, and relented only after the RJD pointed a "katta", an unlicensed gun, at its head. Talking to reporters here, the RJD leader said, “I have nothing to say on the PM’s comment ... I have never heard any PM in the country use such words. This shows his thought process”.

“Whenever the PM goes to Gujarat, he talks about IT factories, semiconductor units and data centres... But when he comes to Bihar, he talks about ‘katta’,” Yadav alleged.

The PM used the simile on the campaign trail in Bihar on Sunday, where he addressed back-to-back rallies in Bhojpur and Nawada districts, and highlighted the RJD's reputation for alleged strong-arm tactics and its troubled equations with alliance partners.

"The Congress never wanted to announce the chief ministerial candidate in favour of the RJD. The RJD secured it by placing a katta on the head of the Congress. They have learnt their lessons in the school of jungle raj. Such elements can never do good for Bihar," he alleged.

Without mentioning Rahul Gandhi or Tejashwi Yadav by name, the PM said, "The crown prince of jungle raj has been wary that the Voter Adhikar Yatra of the other yuvraj may be denting his own prospects. Hence, the RJD has put up its candidate against the state president of the Congress. Let the polls be over. The two allies will be breaking each other's heads".

The allusion was to reserved Kutumba seat, where the RJD had reportedly planned to field a candidate against sitting MLA and BPCC president Rajesh Kumar. Although the RJD decided against doing so, the two alliance partners have ended up in "friendly fights" at a number of places.

Responding to PM's use of 'katta' to make a comment against him, Yadav said, "Jiski jaisi soch hai, uski waisi bhavna hai. He acts like that and speaks just like that."

Yadav said, "Maybe he pointed guns to make others join the NDA. I do not want to comment on it. But listen to the PM's language. I have never heard any PM speak like this."